MICHAEL JACKSON

Studio Albums (Solo): Got to Be There (1972) | Ben (1972) | Music & Me (1973) | Forever, Michael (1975) | Off the Wall (1979) | Thriller (1982) | Bad (1987) | Dangerous (1991) | HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995) | Invincible (2001) | Posthumous: Michael (2010) | Xscape (2014)

Michael Jackson. The world had never seen, and is unlikely ever to see again, an artist that captivated or had the same kind of career as the boy who grew up in the harsh industrial town of Gary, Indiana, and would go on to be known and revered the world over.

Any career-spanning retrospective of Michael Jackson tends to define his success as pre-destined; the child with the soulful-beyond-his-years voice bred on ambition and discipline to be the best was, of course, going to be the biggest artist in the world. But Jackson's path was anything but.

We've had child stars before. We've had Stage Dads and Momagers well before those terms were coined. We've had teen heartthrobs. We've had boybands. We've had landmark albums. We've had global stars. But we've only had one Michael Jackson.

Even in talking about his artistry, people tend to focus on the superstar rise of his adult solo career, from the disco defiance of Off the Wall through to the captivating maturing sound of Invincible. And even then, that success is accepted as a given.

But Jackson's canon is more than just the adult solo albums he's best known for. His canon is an astounding eleven solo studio albums, ten group studio albums as The Jackson 5, and another five studio albums as The Jacksons. That's not counting the main lead on a soundtrack album, The Wiz, or various live albums, or the multitude of compilation and greatest hits repackaging (or two posthumous releases). That's twenty-six albums of studio wealth and wonder.

Jackson's discography is the charting of a superstar, the development of an artist, and the sound of seismic change.

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From his introduction riding a sliding piano on The Jackson 5 smash, "I Want You Back," Michael stood out from his adult contemporaries for his ability to shape a song as his own, even at the young age of eleven. As a Number One hit, "I Want You Back" made the establishment sit up and notice. And notice they did, as The Jackson 5 scored four consecutive number one hits with "ABC" (ok, there's the kiddie novelty song, but it's still funky as all hell), the stomping "The Love You Save," and the promise of salvation in the soulful ballad "I'll Be There." And leading the charge was this whirring wunderkind out front with a voice and feeling that defied his years.

From there, The Jackson 5 were off. And over the course of six years, they would chart their development as artists with the backing (and sometimes overly controlling nature) of the Motown Machine. From their debut album through to their final Motown release, 1975's Moving Violation, The Jackson 5 blossomed and rode the soundwaves of the time, creating timeless classics like "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Looking Through The Windows," and "Dancing Machine" along the way.

In parallel to this, young Michael was tapped for several solo albums that further impressed with his vocal prowess and spawned hits like "Got To Be There," "Ben," "With a Child's Heart," and "One Day in Your Life."

Moving to Epic Records and rebirthing themselves as The Jacksons (minus brother Jermaine and plus youngest brother Randi) gave them greater control over the songs they were recording and the opportunity to write and produce themselves. It was during this transition period that the brilliance of Michael Jackson really began to shine. At Motown, he had proven himself as a great interpreter of songs, but Jackson, the singer-songwriter artist, began to emerge at Epic.

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For their Epic debut, The Jacksons (1976), Michael penned the jangly upbeat "Blues Away" which belies the suffocating feelings of depression detailed in the lyrics (a soon to be Jackson mainstay) and co-wrote the smooth funk of "Style of Life" with guitarist brother Tito.

With 1978's Destiny and 1980's Triumph albums, the brothers wrote and produced themselves, with Michael taking a stronger lead in both the songwriting and production departments, channeling the melodies in his head into the music on the wax. Destiny's disco-tinged vibe blends the party pleaser "Blame It on the Boogie" with funk floor fillers like "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and "Things I Do For You" with softer soul moments in the haunting "Push Me Away" and the rapturous "Destiny." And Triumph further showcases, spawning timeless tracks like "Can You Feel It," "Lovely One," "This Place Hotel," and "Give It Up." Even on 1984's less cohesive Victory album, Jackson's contributions, the rocking "State of Shock," and the stripped lament of "Be Not Always" rise to the occasion.

And of course, amongst all of this was Michael's solo albums for Epic. In fact, from the period of Destiny to Victory, the run of albums of Destiny (1978), Off the Wall (1979), Triumph (1980), Thriller (1982), and Victory (1984), is a masterclass of songwriting, performance and production.

Off the Wall was another turning point for Michael, now an adult driven and ready to prove himself as a solo artist of note. With production by Quincy Jones (and co-production on Jackson's self-penned tracks) the album is an awakening. From Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"—a timeless, joyous disco-funk romp that still packs dancefloors today—to the seductive soul of "I Can't Help It" and the pure disco delight of "Rock with You," Off the Wall is an album of transcendence. And it lit the spark to what would follow.

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With Thriller, Jackson returned with an album that was a cultural shift. Not only did it raise the bar in terms of genre-defying music, but it also broke sales figures and the segregated barriers of radio and MTV in the process. From the crossover hit of "Beat It" that fused Black rock with a blistering solo from Eddie Van Halen, to the party vibe of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" through to the tribal beats meets clubland funk of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin,'" Jackson delivered on his vision for an album where every track would be a hit song.

When you look at Thriller's tracklist, any artist would be satisfied with having either a "Human Nature" or a "Lady in My Life" or a "Thriller" on their album. Jackson had them all on one, and crowned them with "Billie Jean," a song so infectious and layered in its melodic brilliance that you forget the song is about denied paternity. What you do remember is the stalking bass line, the driving beat and counter accents, the twang guitar, the cooing chords, the revelatory strings, and of course, Jackson's vocals and stacked harmonies.

With Thriller's daunting follow-up, Jackson channels his ambitions into Bad and produces an undeniably brilliant album. From gospel in "Man in the Mirror" to the frenetic funk of "Smooth Criminal" and tempting rock of "Dirty Diana" to the infectious grooves of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Leave Me Alone," Bad spawned five consecutive number one hits and once again affirmed Jackson's dominance.

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Parting ways with the winning production partnership with Quincy Jones was a risk for Jackson, but he proved naysayers wrong with groundbreaking album after groundbreaking album. With 1991's Dangerous, Jackson progressed the sound of New Jack Swing producing hits like "Remember the Time" and "Jam" along with darker brooding tracks "Who Is It" and "Dangerous." The album also features a sharper edge in the mid-tempo rocker "Give in to Me" and the social commentary of "Black or White." A highlight is the anthemic "Will You Be There" that gives the landmark "Man in the Mirror" a strong showing in the title for Jackson's best gospel-inspired track.

Jackson delivered again with 1995's HIStory collection, with the new material finding Jackson more introspective and personal. From album opener "Scream" to closer "Smile," Jackson embarks on a journey of reflection and reckoning, coming out the other side stronger. Tracks like the haunting "Stranger in Moscow" and the perceptive "They Don't Care About Us" along with the deep funk of "Money" and "Tabloid Junkie" present an artist all too aware of the world around him and their perception of him. Augmented with Blood on the Dance Floor (1997), Jackson continues to peel back the veil of mystery with insightful tracks like "Ghost" and "Is It Scary," and the intimate reflection on addiction in the industrial-meets-classical brilliance of "Morphine."

Even on his last studio outing, the somewhat poorly sequenced Invincible, Jackson is still vital and engaging. Perhaps the lesser-known (if there is such a thing) of his later works, Invincible has Jackson owning neo-soul sounds in "Butterflies" and "Break of Dawn" and putting his fingerprints on industrial funk and glitch-pop with "Unbreakable" and "Heartbreaker." Even in the quieter moments like "Don't Walk Away" and "Heaven Can Wait," Jackson's voice still holds its allure. "You Rock My World" brings Jackson full circle with his legacy with a good vibe dance track reminiscent of the blueprint he created on Off the Wall and one of the album's standout tracks, "Whatever Happens" with Carlos Santana, features Jackson dabbling with Latin rhythms and melodies. Due to the album's lengthy recording sessions delivering an album that feels Jackson is chasing trends more than leading them, the chase is still quite an exhilarating experience.

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With Jackson's untimely death in 2009 just as he was about to embark on a return to live performance, and with work already underway for a new studio outing, the music world has been left with a noticeable absence. For anyone interested in the journey of music and the awakening of artistry, Jackson is a must-listen-to artist. His brilliance on record (often overshadowed by his brilliance as a performer) makes him a landmark artist who left an indelible impression on music and the world of entertainment, which will ensure that he remains a touchstone for generation after generation.

Andy’s 3 Favorite Michael Jackson Albums of All Time:

1. HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995)

2. Off the Wall (1979)

3. Thriller (1982)

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HIStory definitely is his best, highlyhighly underrated.

[Edited 8/30/21 18:27pm]

I waver, but lately it's:

1. Dangerous
2. Bad
3. Thriller
4. Off The Wall
5. Blood On The Dance Floor (only the new songs and the "Scream" remix)
6. History
7. Xscape
8. Invincible

I don't mind new Jack Michael. The whole second side of Dangerous is an album unto itself. The syncopation and funkiness on "Why You Wanna Trip On Me" is just infectious. I love Heavy's rap on "Jam," Slash's solo on "Give In To Me," the Andre Crouch Choir on "Keep The Faith," the factory sounding title track, sooo much fun and goodness on that record. (I can still do without "Heal The World," which is basically "Man In The Mirror"'s bitch-ass stepsister.)

The original pressing of BAD, which is hard to find, is a gem for me. So many of the songs were replaced with 7" edits and remixes, and alterations as time went on, but the original really displays his vision. Not a bad song on it.

I always include the Jacksons albums and his solo Motown albums as well since seems like everyone just wants to act like they dont exist. Triumph alone was better than Bad, History and Invincible and he singing the whole album

WhisperingDandelions said:

Today, August 31, 1987, BAD was released.

paisleypark4 said:

Yeah if the new tracks in BOTDF count as an EP or something it's def. up there too.

WhisperingDandelions said:

Kind of 1968 definition of EP but that release is fiyah so either way, Top 3 material.

alphastreet said:

paisleypark4 said:

I always include the Jacksons albums and his solo Motown albums as well since seems like everyone just wants to act like they dont exist. Triumph alone was better than Bad, History and Invincible and he singing the whole album

Destiny and triumph rule!!!

Yeah, but if we're talking about his solo career, you can't really add those in.

HOWEVER, while Destiny is cool and all, Triumph is a fucking gem of a record. The moody "Heartbreak Hotel," the jam that is "Walk Right Now," the perfect ballad "Time Waits For No One," the anthemic "Can You Feel It," the funky "P.Y.T." precursor "Lovely One," the laid back groove "Everybody,"... shit, there ain't a bastard song on it.

And I would agree, Triumph is better than Bad. However, Jackie is leading vocals on a few songs he wrote, but aside from those, MJ and/or MJ & Randy wrote that album and sang the shit out of it.

MotownSubdivision said:

Triumph is better than Destiny (and Destiny is great). Happy to see more people noticing that album in recent years. The people that continue to dog Mike and cast him as some manufactured pop star who *gasp* didn't do EVERYTHING in the studio do so out of spite. What he lacked in quantity, he more than made up for in impact and since OTW, it's been nothing but consistent and quality albums.

I've honestly never heard people paint MJ as manufactured. Ever. That feels far fetched. MJ and Prince were never accused of being under some producer's thumb (like boy bands or pop princesses of the early aughts).

I honestly think, that despite his success and universal celebrity, MJ was still unappreciated as an artist. I mean, if one just listens to the music - and forgets all the dancing, the moonwalking, the nose jobs, the Vitaligo (sp), the glove, and even the videos - the real thrust of his talent as a songwriter and vocalist shines. The hype around MJ's albums or videos (ie: promotional events) often distracted folks from just hearing the music. I mean, really listening to it. Listening to the production, the vocal arrangements, the harmonies, the melody, the intricacies... it's just amazing.

When I listen to a Prince song or an MJ song, they just make sense, ya know? Like, "Of course there's a pre-chorus here," or "of course that's the bridge, DUH!" It feels organic, natural, like it's meant to be that and nothing else. That's a gift flowing through someone. A producer may add sounds from a keyboard or whatever to highlight all that, but the song is there, like it's always been there, and we're just now/then discovering it or hearing it. It's like seeing the ocean for the first time. It's breathtaking, it humbles you, it makes sense, and it is mysterious, and appealing - all at once. Yet none of it is predictable.

I think the only time that maybe MJ snarfed up some trends to try and stay relevant was on Invincible. The production is really heavy on that album, it almost feels overproduced (the way folks wrongly say the same about The Gold Experience). All that despite Dangerous having a heavy New Jack Swing leaning for half the album.

I've always had Triumph on a regular rotation. I often listen to it while I sew or quilt.

TrivialPursuit said:

MotownSubdivision said:

"Manufactured" perhaps was the the precise word but the notion of it is implied when detractors undermine his talents. One moron on YouTube (comment section) said MJ was just a dancing karaoke singer simply because he wasn't a one man band or didn't right EVERY single song in his catalog. The fact that we are in this present day where leagues of information is at the common man's disposal and people still can't read or look up album credits, can't understand context or simply are allowed to revel in willful ignorance is beyond dumbfounding.

Thankfully, there are tons of people who can (or at least, choose to) read between the lines. Mike's legacy is doing pretty good from what I can see despite how shady many sections of the media have been with him. Just the fact that there are people who were born after his last album who know who he is and enjoy his music shows that MJ's legacy is safe regardless of whatever conceited rock critic publishes or whatever some pundit implies on TV or in writing.

I used to love to read the whole album liner while listening to the album. I'd think, "wow, Jeff Pocaro is playing the drums on this song! They're so perfect!"

It does thrill me when I see a young person, born well after Invincible or was a youngster when he passed, really get into his music and know every word. Same with Prince.

That person in the comments is ridiculous. That's like calling someone such as Diane Warren or David Foster a "master at crayons" because they can draw out a song but can't sing it. Or whatever. It's obtuse, at best.

I do wish the MJ estate would put something else besides another damn Vegas show, t-shirt, or compilation.

TrivialPursuit said:

Off the Wall and Thriller are definitely the highlights.

Later albums leaned a little too heavily on new jack swing for my liking.

BAD was too light and immature. But he knew what he was doing. It sold tons!

SoulAlive said:

‘Off The Wall’ is my favorite MJ album. ‘Destiny’ is my favorite Jacksons album.

This is an unpopular opinion (lol) but I really don’t think that ‘Triumph’ is all that great I never really liked “Heartbreak Hotel” and I’m still pissed that they changed the name to the absurd “This Place Hotel”,smh.

Not too crazy about ‘Victory’ either.

Well, we can't be friends anymore. LOL

But really - let's talk about Victory.

It's a 50/50 album for me. Half the songs are pretty decent, half are crap. I get why MJ just wanted so little to do with it. He wasn't in a video, they didn't sing the songs from the album on the tour (except maybe a random song here or there, but let's let Jermaine sing his old ass tunes for 10 minutes). MJ even announced the end of the tour and the Jacksons (effectively) in the last L.A. show; much to the brother's surprise. (Face crack of the century.)

"Torture" - fun song, good bassline and hook. The video was fun and weird. Corny w/ that damn wax statue at the end. BBWWHAHAHAHA
"Wait" - this has always been my jam. The chorus is a bop unto itself.

"One More Chance" - feels compressed in production, but at least Phil Collins found a good song to copy

"Be Not Always" - I love this song, with its big pause, etc. A few years later, Amy Grant's "If These Wall Could Talk" (a Jimmy Webb penned song) did a similar break in the song.

"State of Shock" - fucking love this one.

"We Can Change The World" - bless your heart, Tito.

"The Hurt" - I've still no idea what the fuck anyone is singing in this song.

"Body" - "Wait" is better as a banger, but "Body" is a fair second.

Bolded ones are favorites.

Michael Whelan's painting on the cover is just amazing. I remember seeing other versions of it before they settled on the one that made it. His art is amazing, and this one was no exception. I remember reading how the brothers were fussin' over how they wanted their characters portrayed on the cover. I also think the dove on Randy's shoulder disappears later on in some printings. There was a poster that was around that I love and had in my bedroom:

RODSERLING said:

The MJ's estate just went to recertify MJ'sales in the US. It's the 6th most certified artist in the US. MICHAEL JACKSON Title: THE ESSENTIAL MICHAEL JACKSON Certification Date: August 20, 2021 Label: EPIC/LEGACY Format: ALBUM 5xP MICHAEL JACKSON Title: NUMBER ONES Certification Date: August 20, 2021 Label: LEGACY Format: ALBUM 5xP MICHAEL JACKSON Title: THRILLER Certification Date: August 20, 2021 Label: EPIC RECORDS Format: ALBUM 34xP MICHAEL JACKSON Title: BAD Certification Date: August 20, 2021 Label: EPIC/LEGACY Format: ALBUM 11xP

Help me with this as I've seen that number for Thriller in recent years and it doesn't add up for me-Thriller was at 30 million in the 80s and, considering how album sales are reconsidered based on streams and downloads, shouldn't it be certified much higher at this point?

CoolMF said:

CoolMF said:

SoulAlive said:

Off The Wall is Michael’s best album

Yep, and it's not even close.